Shepsala
29-07-2008, 13:17
My husband and took my 7 month old baby to the UK about a year ago and I wrote this document to help out my friends who were about to do the same. Although it's a year old I think it's still really useful - it's based on my own experiences and the research I did from forums and websites.
I thought I'd pass it on!
Tips for Flying with a Baby - Long Haul
Before we left we found out how long the bassinet was (and maximum weight), we checked our pre-booked our bassinet and our seats (and got bulk-head seats which are the most obvious for people with babies), and the sort of services we could expect from the stewardesses. Once you’ve got the bassinet booked one way you can probably assume it’s booked on the way back too. We tried to check by called UK Virgin Atlantic in London but no one could tell me. In the end it was fine, but it was a stress I didn’t need.As soon as we boarded we had a stewardess take us through the seatbelt regime, and say to ask for them if we needed anything. The bassinet was attached when the seatbelt signs went off.
* Don’t bother mixing up milk in advance (unless you need to feed in the first hour after boarding), they have boiling water taps on planes, but have a formula dispenser so it’s easier to add to water. Simply take 3 empty bottles, fill them all in the beginning with 3/4 boiling water and allow to cool. When ready to feed, add the remainder 1/4 with new hot boiling water and mix up with formula. Remember to rinse out straight away. The stewards will do it straight away for you.
* Virgin Atlantic were pretty good in terms as service – the stewards would have done anything we asked, and were really lovely. Plus you got one of those airline bags with toothbrush, toothpaste, eye masks, pen, even socks etc – I didn’t think airlines did that anymore!! I used that bag for items I was using often like dummies, cloths etc.
* You won’t watch a movie. Doing all the normal things with a baby, (and take your time about each one) takes so much time, and you sleep when you can.
* If you have your own TV, some airlines have a baby channel – we only figured this out 2 hours before landing, but would use it lots next time. She sat on our lap and zones out watching it – even without sound.
* I never did this normally, but definitely sleep when the baby sleeps. Arrange a vague roster with your partner, there will be times when you feel more awake than one another and can take over. We did this every 2 hours.
* Find out which bathroom has the best layout for changing before you do the first one. They are sometimes different and one can have more room than another.
* We arrived just in time to board before everyone else (take advantage of this!) but spent too long having coffee with family to get organised before boarding and get a magazine (don’t do this – it’s too stressful the first time). I wished I’d gone straight through the gate to get my head around things.
* Once seated, I split the most used stuff into 2 bags – food stuff and toys and cloths etc. I used the Virgin Atlantic bags they provided.
* Our baby enjoyed sitting up in the bassinet and playing with her toys, but put pillows around the outside because they edge can be hard. On the way back we had the “new” bassinets, which are essentially a flat car seat with straps. It’s good because once the baby is asleep as you don’t have to put them in your lap during turbulence, but you lose the place where the baby can play. Remember to ask the airline how long the bassinet is. The new ones which strap them in will take longer babies.
* Steal the plastic coffee cups to bang together.
* Remember planes get cold, take warm clothing layers.
* Take change of clothes for each adult and 2 for the baby.
* I heard someone was told to put earplugs in their baby’s ears to help with ears popping. Do NOT do this. Going up is not as bad as going down. When I felt my own ears popping (I am pretty sensitive to this) I breastfed on the way down, gave her the dummy and gave her the water cup. Switching between these meant she was swallowing about every 30 seconds. On the way back it was a month later, so she had weaned herself. I times it so we would feed her on the way down, and then alternated between the dummy and water.
* Don’t take a suitcase that needs to be laid down to open, I stood on the arm rests to reach inside our carryon case which was above out heads) remember with a bulkhead seat you lose the space under the seat in front of you).
* Drink water constantly and get your baby to also.
* Remember the plane noise is load so your baby’s crying is never as loud for others as you think.
* As the stewardess to put your solids into the fridge at the beginning.
* Remember basinets have to come down during take off, landing and high levels of turbulence, and you have to take the baby out of the older ones when the seatbelt sign is on. The newer ones you can leave the baby in there.
* Take some Dettol disinfectant wipes and wipe down the basinet, and your armrests.
* We took some Phenergan on the plane in case things got really tricky and she became hysterical. We tried it the day before and it completely zonked her out and she was acting strangely. So I only would have used it in an emergency. They say to test it in case it makes your baby hyperactive so it’s good to check first. Our doctor gave us a prescription to take with us as it was over 100ml and was medication.
* We also had some Baby Panadol and a thermometre.
* If you have a change bag which folds out, take that with you and use it in the toilets.
* On the way back we took a bunny rug and put her on the floor to play for a while – a bit dangerous in the case of turbulence, but we were running out of entertainment options!
* Be prepared for baby-obsessed people to be gawking at babies like it was a zoo. And also going up to them (thank god not on the flight – at the airport) and wanting to touch their cheeks.
To Take on board
Bottles
Teats
Formula for 6 feeds
Cloths to mop up
Solid food for 6 feeds
Rice meal (separate)
Feeding spoons
Favourite toys
Bottle of water for you
Sippy cup
Baby Panadol (and applicator)
Panadol (for you)
Bibs
Rusks/nibbles for baby and you
Wipes
Nappy bags
Lots of nappies
Dettol wipes
Please ask any questions :ecomcity: and I'll see if I can remember what it was like!!
Alexi
I thought I'd pass it on!
Tips for Flying with a Baby - Long Haul
Before we left we found out how long the bassinet was (and maximum weight), we checked our pre-booked our bassinet and our seats (and got bulk-head seats which are the most obvious for people with babies), and the sort of services we could expect from the stewardesses. Once you’ve got the bassinet booked one way you can probably assume it’s booked on the way back too. We tried to check by called UK Virgin Atlantic in London but no one could tell me. In the end it was fine, but it was a stress I didn’t need.As soon as we boarded we had a stewardess take us through the seatbelt regime, and say to ask for them if we needed anything. The bassinet was attached when the seatbelt signs went off.
* Don’t bother mixing up milk in advance (unless you need to feed in the first hour after boarding), they have boiling water taps on planes, but have a formula dispenser so it’s easier to add to water. Simply take 3 empty bottles, fill them all in the beginning with 3/4 boiling water and allow to cool. When ready to feed, add the remainder 1/4 with new hot boiling water and mix up with formula. Remember to rinse out straight away. The stewards will do it straight away for you.
* Virgin Atlantic were pretty good in terms as service – the stewards would have done anything we asked, and were really lovely. Plus you got one of those airline bags with toothbrush, toothpaste, eye masks, pen, even socks etc – I didn’t think airlines did that anymore!! I used that bag for items I was using often like dummies, cloths etc.
* You won’t watch a movie. Doing all the normal things with a baby, (and take your time about each one) takes so much time, and you sleep when you can.
* If you have your own TV, some airlines have a baby channel – we only figured this out 2 hours before landing, but would use it lots next time. She sat on our lap and zones out watching it – even without sound.
* I never did this normally, but definitely sleep when the baby sleeps. Arrange a vague roster with your partner, there will be times when you feel more awake than one another and can take over. We did this every 2 hours.
* Find out which bathroom has the best layout for changing before you do the first one. They are sometimes different and one can have more room than another.
* We arrived just in time to board before everyone else (take advantage of this!) but spent too long having coffee with family to get organised before boarding and get a magazine (don’t do this – it’s too stressful the first time). I wished I’d gone straight through the gate to get my head around things.
* Once seated, I split the most used stuff into 2 bags – food stuff and toys and cloths etc. I used the Virgin Atlantic bags they provided.
* Our baby enjoyed sitting up in the bassinet and playing with her toys, but put pillows around the outside because they edge can be hard. On the way back we had the “new” bassinets, which are essentially a flat car seat with straps. It’s good because once the baby is asleep as you don’t have to put them in your lap during turbulence, but you lose the place where the baby can play. Remember to ask the airline how long the bassinet is. The new ones which strap them in will take longer babies.
* Steal the plastic coffee cups to bang together.
* Remember planes get cold, take warm clothing layers.
* Take change of clothes for each adult and 2 for the baby.
* I heard someone was told to put earplugs in their baby’s ears to help with ears popping. Do NOT do this. Going up is not as bad as going down. When I felt my own ears popping (I am pretty sensitive to this) I breastfed on the way down, gave her the dummy and gave her the water cup. Switching between these meant she was swallowing about every 30 seconds. On the way back it was a month later, so she had weaned herself. I times it so we would feed her on the way down, and then alternated between the dummy and water.
* Don’t take a suitcase that needs to be laid down to open, I stood on the arm rests to reach inside our carryon case which was above out heads) remember with a bulkhead seat you lose the space under the seat in front of you).
* Drink water constantly and get your baby to also.
* Remember the plane noise is load so your baby’s crying is never as loud for others as you think.
* As the stewardess to put your solids into the fridge at the beginning.
* Remember basinets have to come down during take off, landing and high levels of turbulence, and you have to take the baby out of the older ones when the seatbelt sign is on. The newer ones you can leave the baby in there.
* Take some Dettol disinfectant wipes and wipe down the basinet, and your armrests.
* We took some Phenergan on the plane in case things got really tricky and she became hysterical. We tried it the day before and it completely zonked her out and she was acting strangely. So I only would have used it in an emergency. They say to test it in case it makes your baby hyperactive so it’s good to check first. Our doctor gave us a prescription to take with us as it was over 100ml and was medication.
* We also had some Baby Panadol and a thermometre.
* If you have a change bag which folds out, take that with you and use it in the toilets.
* On the way back we took a bunny rug and put her on the floor to play for a while – a bit dangerous in the case of turbulence, but we were running out of entertainment options!
* Be prepared for baby-obsessed people to be gawking at babies like it was a zoo. And also going up to them (thank god not on the flight – at the airport) and wanting to touch their cheeks.
To Take on board
Bottles
Teats
Formula for 6 feeds
Cloths to mop up
Solid food for 6 feeds
Rice meal (separate)
Feeding spoons
Favourite toys
Bottle of water for you
Sippy cup
Baby Panadol (and applicator)
Panadol (for you)
Bibs
Rusks/nibbles for baby and you
Wipes
Nappy bags
Lots of nappies
Dettol wipes
Please ask any questions :ecomcity: and I'll see if I can remember what it was like!!
Alexi